My Wee Columbo Page

Columbo Trivia

How high is your Columbo IQ?

The following Trivia questions are from the "must have" book, for all true Columbo fans, "The Columbo Phile: A Casebook by Mark Dawidziak" -- I've been told that this book is now hard to find. They are based on the original series.

Answers are given below.

1. How many people are murdered in the forty-five Columbo mysteries?

2. What was the favorite method of killing for the Columbo murderer?

3. Only two actors played a Columbo murderer three times. Who were they?

4. Only one Columbo episode is a classic whodunit. Which one?

5. What is Columbo's license plate number?

6. What is Columbo's favorite food?

7. What is Columbo's favorite movie?

8. Does Columbo speak any foreign languages?

9. Where does Columbo's mother-in-law live?

10. What Los Angeles Police Department record does Columbo hold?

11. In "Murder by the Book," the writing team of Franklin and Ferris had created a famous sleuthing heroine for their mystery novels. What was her name?

12. In how many episodes did Columbo forsake his raincoat for a tuxedo?

13. What were the first words spoken by Columbo on television?

14. What killer was ambidextrous?

15. Who was the oldest murderer Columbo caught?

16. What flavor of ice cream does Dog prefer?

17. How did the Columbos get to go on a cruise in "Troubled Waters"?

18. Who was the only murderer to ask Columbo his first name?

19. Who were the only two murderers Columbo genuinely got angry with?

20. How does Columbo take his coffee?

Answers:

1. Fifty-nine murders in forty-five episodes.

2. Twenty-two of the fifty-nine victims were shot (bludgeoning ran a distant second with twelve).

3. Jack Cassidy and Robert Culp.

4. "Last Salute to the Commodore."

5. It's clearly visible in several episodes: California 044 APD.

6. Chili (with crackers).

7. Although never specifically stated, twice ("Any Old Port in a Storm" and "Forgotten Lady") he expresses an appreciation for the 1942 version of Graham Greene's "This Gun for Hire", which starred Alan Ladd.

8. He had a working grasp of Italian ("Identity Crisis" and "Murder under Glass"), and speaks a little Spanish.

9. Fresno (mentioned in two episodes).

10. He avoided mandatory pistol range tests for ten years.

11. Mrs. Melville.

12. Three: "Forgotten Lady," A Case of Immunity" and "Murder Under Glass."

13. "Dr. Fleming?"

14. Brimmer (Robert Culp) in "Death Lends a Hand."

15. Abigail Mitchell (Ruth Gordon) in "Try and Catch Me."

16. Vanilla (in "Forgotten Lady").

17. Mrs. Columbo bought the winning ticket in the Holy Name Society raffle.

Above is a picture of Kate Mulgrew as Mrs. Columbo from the short lived series (which had several name changes) "Mrs. Columbo" or "Kate Columbo" or "Kate the Detective" or "Kate Loves a Mystery." The title changes didn't help, the series was doomed. The true magic of Columbo's wife was that you never did get to see her.